Ipswich City Council members clash with Mayor over media policy

Ipswich City Council members have clashed with Mayor Teresa Harding following a vote to change the local government’s media policy. The new policy allows councillors to use the council’s media team to distribute public statements, a privilege previously held primarily by the mayor.

Mayor Harding expressed concerns that the change would drain resources and result in inconsistent messaging. She stated that residents should have concerns regarding the proposal, suggesting it may benefit councillors more than ratepayers.

In response, several councillors criticized the mayor’s previous comments. Councillor Chris Hyde described her remarks as “unfair, untrue, hurtful, and certainly unhelpful to this process.” Other councillors, including former mayor Andrew Antonelli and Pye Augustine, accused the mayor of undermining council processes and deliberately excluding them from relevant media releases.